Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a technology that can create relatively detailed images of objects using radar. In particular, SAR typically employs a moving platform (e.g., an aircraft or a satellite) to generate a plurality of images of an area as the platform upon which SAR components are mounted passes over the area. The SAR generates radar pulses that return from targets or other features located in the area and the returns are used to effectively define a large antenna aperture based on the distance traveled and the time over the target area. With the large antenna aperture, relatively high resolution images can be created with relatively small physical antenna sizes.
The radar returns or echoes that are received relative to the successive pulses of radio waves illuminating the target area are recorded for image formation processing and image analysis. The pulses that are transmitted and received can have different wavelengths depending on the use case. The image data that is gathered can then be processed for remote sensing, mapping, or other uses.
However, as the ability to obtain high resolution images of objects on the ground improves, the amount of data that must be analyzed and the complexity associated with analyzing the data also increases. Thus, it is necessary to develop techniques for analyzing the massive amounts of high resolution data in a way that can enhance the value of the results of the analysis.